1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a hood device for an image pickup device. The term xe2x80x9cimage pickup devicexe2x80x9d used herein means any of various cameras including photographic cameras, electronic still cameras and video cameras, as well as any of image scanners and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most of image pickup apparatus, such as cameras and image scanners, have a certain kind of monitor device for monitoring an image in the field of view to be picked up by the apparatus. Such commonly used monitor devices may be categorized into three major groups.
Those of the first group are characterized in that the user directly views objects in the field of view through the monitor device. The monitor devices of this type include a direct vision finder found in many compact cameras.
Those of the second group are characterized in that the monitor device comprises an image display screen housed in a body housing of the image pickup apparatus (such image display screen may be either an optical focusing screen (i.e., a finder screen) or a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel) and in that the user peeps in the body housing through an eye-piece to view the image display screen. This type of monitor devices include view finders for the single lens reflex cameras and LCD view finders for some of the professional-use video cameras.
Those of the third group are characterized by an image display screen provided on an outer surface of a body housing of the image pickup apparatus. The image display screen again may be either an optical focusing screen or an LCD panel. This type of monitor devices will not confine the sight of the user to the field of view of the image pickup device, so that the user can conveniently make an active image capturing, such as shooting while walking or running. Further, since the image displayed on the image display screen may be viewed by both eyes, impressions of the image produced on those who would subsequently view the image may be easily and relatively accurately estimated at the time of photographing.
The monitor devices of the third type are found in many recent, home-use video cameras and electronic still cameras, since it is very easy for an amateur cameraman to use a camera having such a monitor device. The monitor devices of this type, however, suffer from a drawback that the image display screen may reflect environmental light, tending to dilute and make it difficult to see the image on the image display screen. In order to overcome this problem, a hood for surrounding and shading the image display screen from environmental light may be often used.
In addition, the monitor devices of the third type have another drawback that the image display screen provided on the outer surface of the body housing of the image pickup apparatus is likely to be injured by contacts with certain hard objects. In order to protect the image display screen from such injurious contacts, it is generally recommended to cover the image display screen with a protection cover.
Recent video cameras and electronic still cameras use a charge-coupled-device (CCD) image sensor. Some of such cameras have no mechanical shutter, such as lens shutter, so that the CCD image sensor used is not protected by the mechanical shutter from the direct sunshine, which may possibly pass through the photographing lens to hit and injure the CCD image sensor. Thus, in order to protect the CCD image sensor from the injurious direct sunshine, as well as to protect the photographing lens or a cover glass thereof from injurious contacts with certain hard objects, it is generally recommended to keep the photographing lens covered by a lens cap all the time but when the camera is used to take a picture. However, it is cumbersome to put the lens cap on the photographing lens each time a picture has been taken. In fact, people often forget to do it.
It is also cumbersome for the user of such a camera to bring along a protection cover for the image display screen, a hood for the image display screen and a lens cap for the photographing lens. People are very likely to misplace and lose such accessories,
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hood device for an image pickup apparatus, the image pickup apparatus including i) a body housing ii) an image pickup optical system housed in the body housing for capturing an image in a field of view, iii) an image display screen provided on an outer surface of the body housing and iv) the body housing having an image pickup light-passage formed therein through which environmental light may enter the image pickup optical system, wherein the hood device may provide multiple functions including those of a protection cover for the image display screen, of a hood for shading the image display screen from environmental light and of a cap for closing the image pickup light-passage. Further, such hood device should be helpful in preventing an inadvertent failure of putting an protection cap in place, as well as in eliminating the need for bringing along separate accessories including a protection cover for the image display screen, a hood for the image display screen and a protection cap for the photographing optical system.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a hood device for an image pickup apparatus, said image pickup apparatus including i) a body housing ii) an image pickup optical system housed in the body housing for capturing an image in a field of view, iii) an image display screen provided on an outer surface of the body housing and iv) the body housing having an image pickup light-passage formed therein through which environmental light may enter the image pickup optical system. The hood device comprises a hood mechanism coupled to the body housing and movable between first and second positions. The hood mechanism is so arranged as to, when in the first position, cover the image display screen and close the image pickup light-passage. Further, the hood mechanism is so arranged as to, when in the second position, uncover the image display screen, leave the image pickup light-passage open and at least partially surround the image display screen for shading the image display screen from environmental light.
The image pickup apparatus may have an optical finder for monitoring an image in a field of view, and the optical finder may include a finder screen. In such case, the image display screen may comprise the finder screen. Alternatively, the image pickup apparatus may have a monitor device including a liquid crystal display panel. In such case, the image display screen may comprise the liquid crystal display panel.
The image pickup apparatus may comprise a video camera having a charge-coupled-device image sensor. Alternatively, the image pickup apparatus may comprise an electronic still camera having a two-dimensional-array charge-coupled-device image sensor. Alternatively, the image pickup apparatus may comprise a two-dimensionally-scanning camera including a linear charge-coupled-device image sensor and a scanning optical system.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the hood mechanism comprises a hood member connected to the body housing for pivoting motion, and the hood member comprises a first plate portion and a second plate portion. The first and second plate portions are so arranged as to cover the image display screen and close the image pickup light-passage, respectively, when the hood mechanism is in the first position.
In this embodiment, the body housing has a front wall defining a front surface and a top wall defining a top surface. The image pickup light-passage is formed in the front wall of the body housing. The image display screen is provided on the top surface of the body housing. The first and second plate portions of the hood member is so arranged as to lie in the top and front surfaces, respectively, of the body housing when the hood mechanism is in the first position. Further, the first and second plate portions of the hood member are so arranged as to lie at one side and in front, respectively, of the image display screen and extend upright relative to the top surface of the body housing for shading the image display screen from environmental light when the hood mechanism is in the second position.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the hood mechanism comprises a first hood member connected to the body housing for pivoting motion and a second hood member supported by the body housing for sliding motion. The first and second hood members are so arranged as to cover the image display screen and close the image pickup light-passage, respectively, when the hood mechanism is in the first position. The hood mechanism further comprises a linkage for interlocking pivoting motion of the first hood member and sliding motion of the second hood member with each other.
In this embodiment, the body housing has a front wall defining a front surface and a top wall defining a top surface. The image pickup light-passage is formed in the front wall of the body housing. The image display screen is provided on the top surface of the body housing. The first and second hood members are so arranged as to lie in the top and front surfaces, respectively, of the body housing when the hood mechanism is in the first position. Further, first and second hood member are so arranged as to lie at one side and in front, respectively, of the image display screen and extend upright relative to the top surface of the body housing for shading the image display screen from environmental light when the hood mechanism is in the second position.
The image pickup apparatus may have an electrical switch relating to a function of the image pickup apparatus, and the hood mechanism may be capable of turning on and off the electrical switch depending on the position of the hood mechanism.
The image pickup light-passage may comprise a window formed in a wall of the body housing with a cover glass fitted in the window, and the hood mechanism may be capable of protecting the cover glass when it is in the first position.
The hood mechanism may be capable of blocking and preventing environmental light from entering the image pickup optical system when it is in the first position.